The beer poured into the chalice lightly hazy pale golden with a white and frothy head which rose extremely tall and frothy and fell slowly to lace the glass.

The aroma was herbal with sage aroma and a Belgian Witbier citrusy orange in tow. The aroma was floral and lightly fruity and also contained a light corn presence.

The flavor was freaking crazy interesting with peppery spice complexity mixed with sage and a nice backup of bittering which was spicy and a bit earthy and grassy in nature. Some wheat character was present and a fruity and floral presence added to the complex mix of flavors and intensities. Some corn presence was notable in the flavor as well.

The finish was dry with lasting peppery spice flavor and corn with wheat long into the aftertaste and beyond. The body was medium with a fairly high carbonation level and a creamy mouthfeel. What a great beer. All sorts of complexity in flavors and aromas. Outstanding!

11.15 ounce flip top bottle. Red markings at 6 and A on the neck label. Also the note that it was brewed with Herb Sage and that it is a Swiss Golden Ale. (1,106 characters)

Wondeful aromas of almost smokey herbs (you can definitely smell the sage) that balance well with a firm hop and malt presence. The foam is firm and persistant, and gives off more of the wonderful aroma. Getting sage to integrate and get along with the other ingredients is no mean feat- having tasted in in other beers and meads it can definitely take over if not handled just right.

The mouthfeel starts off moderatle rich and smooth but ends with an invigorating bite that again keeps all of the different flavors in check. There are some mouth-watering notes of tree fruits such as apples and apricots, as well as some floral overtones. The finish is where you can definitely appreciate the sage- herbal and snappy yet long. An incredibly layered and refreshing ale. (774 characters)

Pours a hazy yellow gold with a huge, Duvelesque head. Zesty aromas of sage, coriander, and some fresh fruits. Very little identifiable malt characteristics in the aroma. On the palate, light, flashing sweetness up front, then some light citrus characteristics, then the spices come out to play, with a bit of a cinnamon notes that I didn't pick up on the nose. Toward the end, there's a nice, nectary sweetness, before that vanishes, leaving a dry finish that lingers on the tongue for a while. Very frothy carbonation on the tongue, with a fairly light body to the beer. There's a lot going on in this beer. It's very complex, especially due to those spice notes, but the yeast has also clearly affected it positively as well. This is one of those beers that you can get something different from every time you drink it. Very, very good. (839 characters)

When I think of the Swiss and sage, I don't typically think of outstanding beer, but that has all changed. This beer pours a beautiful cloudy golden yellow. It has a really nice subtle sage scent mixed with a tinge of alcohol. It has a wonderful flavor. The sage is present in a flavor that is somewhere between a saison and a tripple. Hints of citrus and that slightly funky quality that comes with a farmhouse ale. It has a soft palate with light carbonation.

This is a great beer that I wish was in wider distribution. It is pricey, but worth every penny.

Note: I have had this beer on two seperate ocassions at two seperate locations. Both times the flip-top bottle seemed to be leaking a bit after purchase. Obviously, I didn't think it hurt the beer, but it is a curious event. (789 characters)

Bought a 33cl / 11.2 FL.OZ. bottle of this from The Wine & Cheese Place in Clayton, MO for $5.19. Poured from the bright yellow labeled bottle w/ the BFM lizard & a swing-top cork into a 0,47l New Belgium Oversized Snifter Glass. Has ???? on the top label.

Aroma- Very complexed and malt dominant. Has tons of citrus at the beginning and then musky and a good goaty note at the finish. Light spices are in here too.

Appearance- Pours a easy going, 1 finger head that dies quickly. Has a white, cloudy body but then glowing orange background! Cool! Tons of sediment hang out in the bottom of the glass. Leaves belgian style lacing afterwards (tons of suds and lace but fades after time).

Flavor- Overpowers the mouth with grapefruit and sweet malts from the beginning. A nice marriage of spices, fruit, and hop then come in mid-drink. A medium-high bitterness level hangs around in the complexity of the drink.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Gritty, and then sweet fruits stay on the palate with some light spices.

Overall Impression- What a challenging brew to wrap your head around... Everything hit positive for me and would recommend trying this (especially for the price!). Many other brews from BFM are around $15-20 for a bottle but this is reasonable and has nice complexity! A Belgian spiced Ale I would call this one. (1,356 characters)

A steady, slow pour from the stubby 11.2 oz. flip-top yields a floating iceberg of merengue-like foam. Irregular drifts and crags form over time, as the glass is drained.

Smell is fruity and floral with a citrus zest, like a garden variety of natural elements. The bottle lists sage and hops, which accounts for the herbal and floral notes. The fruit seems like a combination of pear, apricot, or peaches.

Taste has a strong herbal hop and sage presence, that dries out at the finish. The body is ripe with fruit and floral flavors, creating a straightforward heady mix. In the aftertaste, there's an earthy taste of bitter herb. Each sip seems to bring something different, and the bone-dry finish beckons you to drink more. Fruit is always present, in the form of pear, cantaloupe, and apricot.

Very nice Belgian Pale. If I hadn't read the bottle to figure out it's Swiss origin, I would've sworn it was from Belgium...

From the exploseive pop of the brown belgian-styled flip top bottle the liqud goodness of this brew emanated to the mouth of the bottle, but I poured it into my Duvel tulip glass quickly with an uncontrollable white head with tons of brown bits in it. THe head recedes rather quickly to a froth atop the beer leavng some ornate lacing. The beer s a murky cider-like color with a nice cache of goodies sitting in the bottom of the glass.

This one smells amazing, there are hints of lemon lime, apple peel, sourness, a hint of woodsy pine, fruity, yeast twang, and a nice blast of sage. The sage smells very fragrant and perfumey. There is a little bit of alcohol burn in the nose but not overt.

The body is smooth but well-carbonated, in fact some pretty exceptional mouthfeel overall. The taste is very bold and has some tartness and spice that melts into a smooth sage and malty finish. Not really sure how to describe the taste on this one, it is just a smooth easily palatable flavor, yet it has some tang and sourness. The alcohol is more apparent as you go but not overt.

Overall this is a unique brew that should be tried at least once and savored (1,188 characters)

33cl brown bottle, with the A of A-E and the 6 marked with red on the neck band. Bottled Jan/Feb 2006?

According to the ingredients on the label, La Meule includes water, malt, hops, sugar, sage, yeast.

14K honeyed gold with a slight haze. Towering, glass-filling head of small golden white bubbles that possess a creamy consistency. The head settles slowly, but the peaks never fall and are reminiscent of the Swiss mountains where this is brewed. Clots and clumps of sticky lace are deposited on the sides of the glass. Ample actively jetting carbonation streams shoot upwards. A spicy, peppery aroma wafts from the glass, punctuated with basil, sage, orange peel, lemon zest and bits of an almost honey sweetness. Very nice and inviting. An initial blast of spiciness hits the tongue, a bit of lemon and orange peel that is complimented with a light malt sweetness. The spice kicks over to a black pepper bite and more of that sage/basil dry tartness in the finish which is drawn out in a pleasing way. The spice keeps accumulating during the bottle, but never gets out of hand. Medium body with nice, fine carbonation. Supremely drinkable and the sage adds an interesting component. Worthy of seeking out. (1,223 characters)

Mouthfeel - Light-Medium bodied, Medium Carbonation, refreshing in a good way and far from boring.

Overall Impression - Everyone should try it. At the beginning it feels slightly wierd, but by the end of the glass I almost always want another one. It's the kind of beer that grows on you as you drink it. (685 characters)

Sampled at the BFM beer tasting at Monk's Cafe, the back bar. This bottle was a 11.15 oz bottle with a swing top cap. The label says that it is a Swiss Golden Ale brewed with amoung other things, the spice sage. Very interesting. The beer poured a cloudy golden color with a thick bubbly white head, reminding me of the character of a Duvel. The nose of this unique ale has a hoppy bit but also a spicey touch, probably from the sage which is unusual for a beer. The taste is very crisp, then leading to a more bitter hop taste but balanced out well with the sage tones which are enjoyable. I found this beer to be pretty darn drinkable with a medium body and good carbonation. Another fine beer from Jerome. (708 characters)

T: Lemon and yeast flavours hit immediately, with a light acidity. Sage and woody herbs are big on the back end, with a light hoppy finish mixed with the herbs.

M: Spritzy and lively, rather light-bodied, a bit too much carbonation for me.

D: Love the flavours of sage, it complement hops well and always makes for interesting beer, though it gets rarely used. Love the experimentation of these guys, really solid ale right here. Good buy. (645 characters)

33cl swingtop bottle, including a paper seal marked '1-9' along the left side and 'A-F' across the top. A red mark above the 'C' means...uh...something...

Swiss Golden Ale brewed with sage, poured to a pair of small 'Millevertus' tasting glasses and shared with my wife as an apertif.

A: A hiss of air and a little carbonation fizz escape when uncapping. Thick layer of white yeasty sludge on the bottom of the bottle. Pours cloudy golden-wheat with tiny yeasty floaters. Head is almost 2 fingers tall, a cloud of puffy white bubbles. Bits of sticky, meringue-like lace.

T: Loads of crushed apple, herbal spice, floral/meadow grassiness. Some mild sweetness of pear and melon with clover honey. Then there's the spiciness: sage is present, zest and finishing very dry. All very fresh tasting and reminiscent of the rustic farmhouse ales of Belgium & France. Quite good.

M: Medium to high level of carbonation gives a spritzy mouthfeel. Body stays rather light; crisp and dry finish. A little grainy but generally clean on the palate.

D: This beer made a wonderful warm-up prior to dinner. We both really enjoyed the dry herbalness of the flavors, the spritzy mouthfeel and the light ABV. This may not be a beer I'd have all the time, but in the right setting it borders on perfection. I hope we get to enjoy this beer again sometime and definitely recommend it.

Bottle acquired in a pseudo-trade with a BA Brother - thanks! (1,545 characters)

Presentation: You really have to give this beer credit for the presentation. It is a cool unique stubby little flip top bottle. When Bob flipped the top open it popped like a gun shot and the whole room turned to see.

Smell & Taste: The flavors in the beer are complex and I only had a share of this beer so I will need to re-visit it if I ever get the opportunity. I got a very spicy ginger and sage character, earthy grassy hops and a significant amount of dryness. The variety with in the Belgian Pales continues to impress. Every beer is so unique.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated creamy medium body beer.

Drinkability: I am definitely going to seek this out again. My share went down way to quickly.

The flip-top popped, loud, like a champagne cork. On initial pour, the glass was filled from stem to rim with foam. After a couple of minutes the foam settled and left nice sticky lace all down the sides of the glass.

M: Pleasantly oily thinness. Carbonation settled right down and became rather still, compared to how it initially poured. Just right for the style, IMO. Peppery dryness lingers on the tongue for ages.

D: Quite refreshing. Could easily see spending a day with a few of these.

p.s. I swirled around the dregs from the bottle and poured them into a seperate shotglass. It poured the color of pear nectar, light brown and opaque. Much fruitier nose than the rest of the bottle. Exceedingly dry, must be all the sage in the sediment. A nice way to compliment a fine beer! (1,162 characters)

Golden amber color with a very thin head with low retention. Some very small particles floating particles and gets cloudy in its last pour.Quite yeasty aroma, Belgian kind. Notes of honey, herbal, kind of pine or juniper and rotten oranges and lemon. Not overly sweet, perfect for the style. A hint of Bretta soapiness.Excellent taste that follows nose. A pleasant citrusy with some piney hops.Medium body with appropriate carbonation, with a second fizz phase.Awesome beer, I guess there are more than chocolates in the gastronomy space in Switzerland. A pleasant surprise. I found this under rated, not sure if my sample were rightly matured (it looked old though did not have an expiration date), or I am getting used to funky beers. (740 characters)

Well-bubbled gold with a fine particulate haze that is due to either yeast or sage... or both. The alabaster cap that filled more than half the glass on the initial pour is softy rocky and pleasingly plush. Although foam bridges connect head and glass, they don't result in an overwhelming amount of lace when they eventually break.

Before popping the swing-top, I took a quick trip to the spice rack to remind myself what sage smells like. After reading the label, I've learned that it comes from a hearty, evergreen shrub. There's no question that this beer smells like sage (and like spruce). I wasn't thrilled with the herb itself, but I like the way La Meule smells. Actually, I love it.

I can't recall having had a sage-infused beer before. I was skeptical at first, but it turns out that it works as well as coriander or cinnamon or just about any other herb or spice. The trick is in adding it to a quality beer and adding it in just the right amount. Both of those conditions have been satisfied here.

I think that most herbed beer is better when it favors sweet over bitter. Herbs can be bitter, and when used alongside hops, things can get out of control in a hurry. That's why I was pleased to see that candi sugar was used. This golden ale has just enough sun-ripened, sugar-crusted maltiness to offset the other flavors. I like this stuff more and more with each passing ounce.

The mouthful favors the light end of light-medium. Due to an expert use of carbonation, it works out well. I'm not sure I'd want a chewy sage beer since this sparkly, refreshing one feels so good in the mouth.

I picked up this bottle of La Meule last week because it looked interesting and because I was curious about what a sage beer would taste like. Frankly, I didn't expect to like it this much. It just goes to show that the list of things that can be used to flavor beer is much longer than most people realize. Recommended. (1,938 characters)

A: Looks like a witbier, yellow to white color with a very cloudy body. Pours a medium fluffy head which dissipates leaving no lacingsS: Very good. Spicy as it should. Citrus lemon. Malts, biscuits and yeasts. A bit floweryT: Really good stuff. Light sourness. discreet pepper and coriander. A bit of vanilla (?). Light bitterness.M: Light after all. Smooth. Medium to low carbonationD: Good (455 characters)

Pours hazy yellow iwth some head that slowly fades to white patchy layer, downsliding lacing. Aroma is intense sourish spice that might be sage, quite interesting and even extraordinary.

Taste is dry and quite bitter hops that slowly turns out to be sweet herbal citrus malt with dry finish and slightly spicy herbal aftertaste, complex, but very pleasant. Mouthfeel is rather thin with more than average carbonation and mild alcohol warming.

Overall, a very interesting beer, especially I enjoyed the aroma. (510 characters)

Pours a golden straw color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes slowly into a thin layer of bubbles on top that leaves decent lacing.

Smells of Belgian candi sugar, then after a moment the sage comes out, like a meld of pine and floral scents.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Sweet Belgian candi sugar up front, followed by hints of light fruits and sage. Again, the sage flavor is a lighter version of the sometimes harsh pine flavors in big IPA's.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a light thickness and smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is good. The flavors meld together very well and I could have more than one of these.

Overall this is a unique beer that doesn't use sage as a gimmick but rather as an ingredient in an above-average beer. (797 characters)

Swing-top 33 cl bottle from Knightly Spirits in Orlando. Aroma is sweet and fruity with a potent spicy note that I rather enjoy. The body is a dull yellow/gold and holds a three fingers thick bubbly white head that is very lasting. Bitter and herbal at first with some dry sweetness and lots of floral spice and bitterness. Very crisp mouthfeel....nice drinking feel to it. Very nice brew. (389 characters)

Pours a very light yellow color. Heavy sediment in the bottom of the glass showing up as tiny black specks.

This tasted similar to a saison with a slightly more bitter flavor. Very crisp and a little tart. This wasn't quite what I was expecting based on what I read but it was still quite good. I liked it far better than the other BFM offering I've tried which was La Dragonne. (379 characters)

Poured a cludy orange-amber color with massive white head.
I had forgotten what sage smelled like, but this beer quickly reminded me of waht it smells like.
Taste is also loaded with sage, and this totally dominates all taste sensation except for a strong bitter dryness at the finish.
A nice enough beer, but not anything to seek out. (338 characters)

Sampled 1-9-2007. Pours a cloudy straw gold with a big off white head. Nose is yeasty, but gently floral as well. Flavor is quite unique. Starts off like a milder Belgian style brew and then you get an acrid flowery edge to it that leaves a plant-like aftertaste in your mouth. Feel is carbonated but light in punch from ingredients. I think it is drinkable, but for people who are not into this style, I can definitely see them not liking this at all since it is such a unique production. But for me, I'd probably give it a go again. Even though the price is a bit high. (571 characters)

A: Pours a hazy deep golden/peach color under a fingers worth of white head. Some lace, some retention.

S: Some fruity undertones with obvious spice from the sage. The spice reminds me of a marinara sauce, like for a pizza. That may sound wierd, and it is a little, but it isn't bad.

T: Again, spices are prevelant with hints of the yeast that is floating around. Still seems to take on an Italian spice type note that is very unusual, but again it's not bad. Mostly dry in the finish with some of the spices sticking aroound.

M/D: Mouthfeel is very nice, creamy with a fullness that surprises a little, but still on the light side. Drinkability is a paradox for. Would I sit here all night and drink a bunch? I could, but the spices would wear on me. However, the way the spices present themselves to me, I could easily see having a nice Italian or Mediterranean dinner and going through a bunch of these. An unusual beer for sure, but very good. (991 characters)